Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/78

Prince of Perſia his Life, and I ſhall be embark’d in his Misfortune. In the mean time, I have my Honour, my Quiet, my Family, and my Eſtate to preſerve, I muſt then deliver my ſelf out of ſo great a Danger, while I can.

He was taken up with theſe thoughts all the Day; next Morning he went to the Prince of Perſia, with a Deſign to uſe his utmoſt Endeavours to oblige him to conquer his Paſſion. He actually repreſented to him what he had formerly done in vain, That it would be much better for him to make uſe of all his Courage, to overcome his Inclination for Schemſelnihar, than to ſuffer himſelf to be to conquer’d by it; and that his Paſſion was ſo much the more dangerous, as his Rival was the more Potent. In a Word, Sir, adds he, if you will hearken to me, you ought to think of nothing but to triumph over your Amour; otherwiſe you run a Riſque of deſtroying your ſelf with Schemſelnihar, whoſe Life ought to be dearer to you than your own. I give you this Counſel as a Friend, for which you will thank me ſome Time or other.

The Prince heard Ebn Thaher with a 2 deal of Impatience, but ſuffered him however to ſpeak out his Mind, and then reply’d to him thus, Ebn Thaher, ſays he, do you think I can forbear to love Schemſelnihar, who loves me ſo tenderly; ſhe is not afraid to expoſe her Life for me, and would you have me to regard mine? No, whatever Misfortune befal me, I will love Schemſelnihar to my laſt Breath.

Ebn Thaher being offended with the Obſtinacy of the Prince of Perſia, left him haſtily, and going to his own Houſe, recalled to Mind what he had thought on the other Day, and began to think in earneſt what he ſhould do. At the ſame Time a Jeweller, one of his intimate Friends, came to ſee him. This Jeweller had perceived that Schemſelnihar’s Confidant came oftner to Ebn Thaher than uſual, and that he was conſtantly with the Prince of Perſia, whoſe Sickneſs was known to every one, though not the Cauſe of it. The Jeweller began to grow Suſpicious, and he finding Ebn Thaher very penſive, he judg’d preſently that he was perplex’d with ſome important Affair, and fancying that he knew the Cauſe, he ask’d what Schemſelnihar’s Confidant wanted with him? Ebn Thaher being ſtruck with this Queſtion, would have diſſembled and told him